April 2020
Watershed Calendar
Hello ,
Many April and May events hosted by NVSWCD and other environmental organizations have been cancelled or postponed due to rising concerns regarding COVID-19 and in efforts to best protect our volunteers. We hope that you'll use this time to take advantage of virtual learning opportunities and volunteer events.

As you've heard many times before, wash your hands, stay home, and take care of yourself. Keep in touch with NVSWCD on our Facebook and Instagram . Your friendly neighborhood stream monitors will be very happy to welcome you back when we can!

Ashley Palmer
Conservation Education Specialist
ashley.palmer@fairfaxcounty.gov
703-324-1423
Student Opportunities
Youth Conservation Camp
Application Deadline : Wednesday, April 22, 2020
This week-long camp held in July on the Virginia Tech campus brings together 70 high school students from across Virginia to learn about conservation and the environment through hands-on experience with conservation professionals. Open to all high school students. NVSWCD offers a partial scholarship. Visit our website to learn more about camp and access the application.

Conservation Poster Contest
Where would we BEE without pollinators?
Submit by : Friday, May 15, 2020
Calling all K12 students! The Conservation Poster Contest for 2020 is now open with the theme "Where would we BEE without pollinators?" The contest is open to all students and scouts who enter receive a patch. Visit our website to see the contest rules and learn how to submit your poster.
Social Distancing Volunteer Events
Practicing social distancing can be tough but don't let it impact your want to help out the environment! Check out these activities you can do to help out your community!
Virginia Master Naturalist Edit Captions for Education Webinars
Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity you can do from home? VMN HQ is looking for volunteers willing to edit the captions for VMN Continuing Education webinar videos. Learn more about this volunteer opportunity on the Virginia Master Naturalist Website .

Accotink Creek Watershed Independent Cleanup
Even though the 2020 Potomac Watershed Cleanup was been canceled, the Friends of Accotink Creek have an opportunity to showcase your independent cleanup. Learn more about how to help our environment get healthy while staying healthy at their website !

Izaak Walton League of America Stream Selfie
You have the right to know whether the streams running through your backyard or neighborhood parks are safe. But there is a lack of up-to-date information about water quality across the country. The "Stream Selfie" campaign will help bridge that information gap. Simply snap a photo of a stream that's important to you, answer a few key questions, and share your picture on the Stream Selfie Website .

City Nature Challenge 2020
Cities around the world will be have a friendly competition to see who can make the most observations of nature, find the most species, and engage the most people in the 2020 City Nature Challenge. This challenge uses the iNaturalist app, which you can learn more about below in our "Apps to Get Involved" section. Check out how you can be a part of this opportunity on their website !

Budburst Citizen Science
Budburst brings together researchers, horticulturists, and citizen scientists on a shared journey to uncover the stories of plants affected by human impacts on the environment. Budburst tells these stories through data collection, data sharing, education, and personal connections. See how you can become part of the project on budburst.org .
Virtual Community Events & Webinars
How Birds Stay Warm
When : Thursday, April 2, 2020
How do birds stay warm, especially in some of the coldest places on Earth, like the Himalayas? Join Smithsonian Ornithologist Sahas Barve to explore the science behind how bird's feathers help them conserve body heat. Check out their past webinars too!
Apps To Get Involved
iNaturalist
iNaturalist helps you identify the plants and animals around you. Get connected with a community of over 400,000 scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about nature! By recording and sharing your observations, you'll create research quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature.
Seek by iNaturalist
Use the power of image recognition technology to identify the plants and animals around you. Seek shows you lists of commonly recorded insects, birds, plants, amphibians, and more in your area. Add different species to your observations and learn about them in the process. The more observations you make, the more badges you'll earn.
Creek Critters
Created by Audubon Naturalist Society, Creek Critters helps you find and identify the tiny macro invertebrates in your local stream. Creek Critters also automatically creates a report on your stream's health based on your findings.
Litterati
Litterati is empowering individuals to make a significant, measurable impact on the environment. Far more than just picking up litter, the worldwide community of Litterati users are building the most powerful crowd-sourced set of data on litter ever assembled. Join the global cleanup!
Community News
A sk An Expert: How to recycle like a pro (and why it matters)
By Potomac conservancy
Image: Kevin Harber via Flicker
By Friends of Dyke Marsh